Return to Lebanon’s south stalled as destruction blocks families’ path home

Report by Edmond Sassine, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

The fourth hour of dawn on November 27, 2024, saw residents lining up to return. But the 2024 return to the south was nothing like the victory of 2006.

After the ceasefire agreement, most residents were unable to reach their destroyed border villages.

They organized weekly gatherings under Israeli fire, and more people were killed and wounded.

On February 18, the Israeli army withdrew but kept control of part of the land, expanding its occupation to about 11 square kilometers.

The near-total destruction of Dhayra, Jebbayn, and Yarine reflects the broader devastation of border villages from Naqoura to Kfarkela — areas most residents have not returned to despite the withdrawal.

Walking through the rubble and homes leveled to the ground, visitors rarely encounter a car or a person, except for army and UNIFIL vehicles.

Amid the destruction, there are a few exceptions along the border strip. In Naqoura, newly built walls and rooms can be seen, along with some electrical poles and ongoing construction under army supervision. But basic services and reconstruction remain unavailable.

In Alma al-Shaab, which also suffered significant damage, some neighborhoods and streets have regained activity and a determination to return, along with efforts to secure basic needs.

Across these devastated areas, there is some hope — hope that will grow only if political conditions and funding are secured to rebuild what the war destroyed. The conflict continues through near-daily attacks, totaling more than 5,000 violations, 335 people killed, and more than 1,000 wounded.